I am considering building a small HO-scale layout set during the American Civil War. Ideally, it would be based in one of the Confederate States (we won’t worry about 5ft gauge at the moment) but that’s not a showstopper. I’ve no desire to scratch-build and am pretty rubbish at making kits, so any locomotives will have to be commercially available ready-to-run models. Does any manufacturer produce a suitable civil war period loco? I know that Bachmann make several ‘American’ 4-4-0s, although they seem to be a decade or two too late (Union Pacific etc.). I guess I could modify them to an early 1860s guise.

On a wider point, has anyone seen (or even modelled!) a civil war-period or themed layout? Are there any back issues of railway modelling magazines that might contain something along those lines?

Last edited by david_heath899 on Tue Aug 30, 2016 10:45 am, edited 1 time in total.

Hi,
the only other locos I can think of would be the Rivarossi 4-4-0's, also available under other manufacturers labels.
I think that the Roundhouse locos are to late for your period.
John (toad) Spratley used to specialize in 19th century locos, don't know if anyone could provide any contact details for him.
At Calder Northern there is the Devils Creek layout, pictures of which are available on their website.
Sorry can't be of any more help.
Best of luck with your project.

If you put the words "Civil War" (keeping the inverted commas), layout and HO into Google and click, you'll find loads of stuff. It's a niche modelling subject, but lots of people have done various things, and will have travelled the path and done the learning about what's available.

It looks as if Bachmann produced a Confederate Railroad 'set' (and one of "The General"!) a few years back. However, the reviews on amazon.com are dreadful! Although it would provide some useful ready-to-run stock, it sounds as if it's something to avoid like the plague. And I wouldn't want the track or the controller, of course.